Electric weft detector



@ch 25, R. F. DIQN AW Q ELECTRIC WEFT DETECTOR Filed Dec. 4, 1948ENVENTOR RAYMOND F. 010A,

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 25, 1949 ELECTRIC WEFT DETECTOR Raymond F. Dion,Leominster, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works. Worcester,Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 4, 1948,Serial No. 63,590

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electric weft detectors forlooms and it is the general object of the invention to provide adetector which can be used either singly or in a group.

Electric weft detectors generally comprise a pair of sliding contactrods or fingers which are urged toward detecting position by some formof spring. In some instances bowed leaf springs are used, but theyoccupy considerable space. In multicolor weft replenishing looms thedetector is usually located at the magazine or replenishing end of theloom, and because of adjacent parts of the loom it is customary to mountthe :feeler so that the springs will lie in vertical planes, extendingeither above or below the detector. When a gang of the electric weftdetectors are used at the drop box end of the loom for the purpose ofeffecting either automatic weft replenishment or stoppage of the loomupon exhaustion of weft in any active shuttle the detectors are arrangedvertically one over the other in such close order that there is no roomfor vertically arranged leaf springs.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide anelectric weft detector employing leaf springs for the detector fingersor rods wherein the springs can either be vertical as is desirable wherethe detector is at the replenishing end of the loom, or horizontal whena gang of weft detectors are used at the drop box end of the loom.

.In order that the springs may remain in operative relation with respectto the detecting rods or fingers but be readily removable it is afurther object of the invention to provide those ends of the springswhich have direct contact with the detector fingers with open slots sothat in the event of damage to a spring it may be readily removed.

When open slots are used with the spring it is necessary to make someprovision for maintaining operative relation with respect to thedetector finger whether the spring be disposed vertically orhorizontally. It is accordingly a further object of the invention toprovide a feeler holder or case so constructed that the leaf springs canbe either vertical or horizontal, but in either position will be held incorrect operative relation with respect to the detector fingers due tothe shape of the detector case.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of theinvention is set forth,

Fig. 1 shows a gang of drop boxes on a loom associated with a pluralityof vertically arranged weft detectors, one for each shuttle box, theleaf springs being disposed horizontally,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view looking in'the direction of arrow 2,Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a View looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2, thesupport for the detector being shown in section,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section on line t4 of Fig. 2 showing thesprings for the detector fingers in three different positions,

Figs. 5, 6 and '7 are diagrammatic views showing the manner in whichoperative relation is established between a weft detector finger and itsspring, and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation between the weftdetector case, a detector finger, and the spring therefor.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the loom frame It has mountedthereon a horizontal support H to which is secured an upright guide I2.A vertically movable carrier I3 is mounted on the guide l2 for risingand falling motion which is imparted to it by a rod I4 connectedpreferably to the box lifter mechanism (not shown) which is connected tothe box lifter rod I5.

A gang of shuttle boxes GL is mounted on the lay it and is adapted forvertical movement thereon by the box lifter rod l5 so that any one ofthe four shuttle boxes l1, l3, l9 and 20 can be aligned with the shuttlerace 2! on the lay. The sliding carrier [3 is provided with a pluralityof horizontally extending support feet 25 each of which has mountedthereon an electric weft detector unit designated herein generally at D.The general arrangement of the gang of electric weft detectors as shownin Fig. 1 may be similar to that set forth in Bushey Patent No.1,873,109.

Each of the detector units shown in Fig. 1 will be the same and thedescription will be confined to but one of them. Each detector comprisesa base or body 3!] the rear end of which has a removable cap 3i heldthereto by a screw 32. Right and left side walls 33 and M, respectively,as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, are joined by a front Wall 35.Detector fingers or rods 36 and 31 are slidably mounted on the detectorbase 39, and each finger has a collar 32 secured thereto for engagementwith the cap 3!.

Bearing metallic bushings 40 are threaded into the front wall 35 andserve as guides for the forward ends of the detector fingers 36 and 31.

Each bearing bushing has a nut ii, one purpose of which is to establishelectric connections with electric wires which run from the detector toelectromagnetically operated controls for the loom. In Fig. 2 thesewires are designated at 42 and 3. The base and cap 3! are preferablymade of electric insulating material, such as hard fiber or a plastic.Bolts or screws 3d serve to hold the base in fixed position on itssupporting feet 25.

The matter thus far desrribed, except for the form of the detector base30, may be the same as that heretofore used.

The means for holding the detector fingers 38 and 37 normally inrearward detecting position comprise leaf springs designated herein at45 and 46 which are provided, respectively, for the detector fingers 36and 3-1. Each of these leaf springs is held against a bushing ll] by anut 4|, as is apparent from Figs. 2 and 3. extend horizontally as shownmore particularly in Fig. 1 and are bowed back toward their respectivedetector fingers and engage the collars 38. The springs tend to move thedetector fingers rearwardly, but yield sufficiently to permit thefingers to slide forwardly during a weft detecting operation.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the vertical distancebetween adjacent detectors D is so short that the springs 45 and 46cannot be disposed vertically as would be desirable if the detector wereused at the replenishing end of a multi-color weft replenishing loom. Itis for this reason that the detector springs are disposed horizontallyas shown in Fig. 1.

There will be times however when the electric weft detector will be usedat the plain or replenishing end of a m'ulti-color weft replenishingloom, in which event the springs will need to be disposed verticallybecause of other structures lying at the sides of the detector. It is animportant feature of the present invention to form the case and moreparticularly the side walls 33 and 3A in such relation with respect tothe detector fingers 36 and 3'! that the springs and 46 may be eitherhorizontal or vertical, or inclined, and be equally effective in anyposition to hold their respective detector fingers rearwardly indetecting position.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 8, wherein the relation betweendetector finger 36, spring Q5, and the wall 33 of the case 30 are setforth diagrammatically, it will be seen that the spring is provided witha slot 50 opening laterally and of such form as to receive the detectorfinger or wire 35. The wall 33 has a top surface 5! and an innervertical surface 52, the former surface being below and the lattersurface being to the right of the detector finger 36. When the spring ishorizontal as indicated by line 55, and slot 50 opens upwardly, thebottom edge 56 of the spring is spaced from the top surface 5! by adistance considerably less than the depth of the slot 59, and the springcan therefore not move out of operative relation with respect to thedetector finger 36 and its shoulder 38. When the spring is moved to avertical position as represented by line 5'! with slot 58 opening in adirection away from wall 33 the edge 56 of the spring is close to thevertical side 52 of the wall 33 and in such position as to prevent thespring from becoming accidentally dislodged from the detector finger. Inboth the vertical and horizontal positions, therefore. the wall 33permits free action of the spring The springs 45 but prevents it fromlosing operative relation with respect to its detector finger.

In certain forms of gang detector mechanisms such as shown in Fig. 1 itis desirable to have the detectors nearer their supporting slidestructure I3 than is set forth in Fig. 1, in which event the springswill be disposed at an angle. The relation between the wall 33 and thedetector finger 36 is such, however, that the distance a between edge 56of the spring and the nearest part of the wall 33 will be less than theeffective depth b of the slot 50. The spring will therefore be preventedfrom accidental displacement with respect to the finger 36 even if it beinclined. The space 0 between line 51 and vertical surface 52 of thedetector, and the space d between horizontal line 55 and the top surface5| of the wall will both be smaller than the space a, and all three ofthese spaces will be of less dimension than the distance b. Therelations just described are true also for the other spring 46, finger31, and wall 3A.

Fig. 4 shows the three positions which the springs can assume, the fullline position I being that assumed for gang feelers where there is ampleroom between the detectors and their guide I3, the dotted line positionII being that assumed by the springs when the latter is used at theplain end of a weft replenishing loom, and the inclined position IIIindicating the disposition of the springs, or at least those springs atthe right as viewed in Fig. 1, when it is desired that the detectors Dbe relatively close to their supporting guide l3.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 indicate diagramatically the procedure which may befollowed in establishing operative connection between a spring and itsdetector finger. In these figures the left spring at is illustrated.Before the spring is attached at its forward end by means of one or theother of the nuts 4| it will be passed down between wall 3 1 and thedetector finger 31 with its plane parallel to the latter until the slot50 is opposite the shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 7, and thencaught under its nut 4!. As a matter of fact the springs aresufficiently flexible so that their rear ends can attain the positionshown in Fig. 5 even though their front ends are securely held by thenuts 4!, and it will not be necessary in all instances to follow theprocedure described in detail with respect to Figs. 5, 6 and '7.

If for any reason a spring should become deformed or lose its resilienceit can be detached from its corresponding detector finger by proceduresthe reverse of that already described so that the spring will be movedfor instance from the position of Fig. 6 to that of Fig. 5, after whichthe rear end of the spring can be lifted and the spring then removed byloosening its nut ll for replacement of another similar spring.

The springs are preferably symmetrical about a longitudinal axis asindicated in Fig. 3, so that a single form of spring will sufiice forboth sides of the detector.

From the foregoing it will be seen that, the invention sets forth asimple form of electric weft detector employing leaf springs for thedetector fingers wherein the springs may be either horizontally orvertically disposed, and it will also be seen that the springs can bedisposed obliquely or in an inclined position, such as that set forth inIII, Fig. 4, where it is desired to have the detectors nearer theirsupporting slide 13 than is set forth in Fig. 1. It will be seen that inall positions of the spring it will be held against accidentaldislodgment from its detector finger by the adjacent Wall of the case orbody 30. Furthermore, the fact that the spring has an open slotsimplifies assembly and also removal of the broken spring, both of theseoperations being carried on while the detector fingers are applied tothe base 30. The detector unit can be used either at the replenishingside of a loom where there is little available space at the sides of thedetector, in which event the springs will be vertical, or it can be usedin a gang in association with other similar detectors at the drop boxend of the loom where the small distance between detectors prohibits theuse of the spring in vertical position, in which event the springs willbe disposed horizontally.

Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications of the foregoing specific disclosure may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In an electric weft detector for looms, a base formed of electricinsulating material, an electric detector rod slidable in said base, awall forming part of said base having vertical and horizontal surfaces,and a leaf spring capable of being either vertically or horizonallydisposed relatively to said base and held at one end thereof on the baseand having a laterally opening slot near the other end thereof throughwhich the rod extends, the

slot being of such length as to contain the rod whether said other endof the leaf spring engages either one or the other of said surfaces ofthe wall.

2. In an electric Weft detector for looms, a base formed of electricinsulating material, an electric detector rod slidable in said base, awall forming part of said base, and a leaf spring held at one endthereof to said base and having the other end thereof formed with alateral slot receiving said rod and opening in a direction away fromsaid wall, said slot being of such depth as to contain said rod whenthat part of said other end of the spring opposite to said slot engagessaid wall.

3. In an electric weft detector for a loom, a base formed of electricinsulating material, an electric detector rod slidable on the base, aleaf spring held at the forward end thereof to said base and having alaterally opening slot which receives said rod near the other endthereof, and a wall on said base substantially parallel to said rod, onthat side of the spring opposite to said slot, said wall arrestinglateral motion of said other end of said spring relatively to said rodin 6 a direction from the rod toward said wall while the rod is in saidslot.

4. In an electric weft detector for a loom, a base formed of electricinsulating material, an electric detector rod slidable on the base, aleaf spring held at the forward end thereof to said base and havin alaterally opening slot which receives said rod near the other endthereof, means mounting said spring for angular adjustment relatively tosaid base around the axis of said rod, and a wall on said base On thatside of said rod opposite to the open end of said slot effective in allangular positions of the spring relative to said base to arrest movementof said other end of the spring in a direction from the rod toward saidwall while the rod is in the slot.

5. In a weft detector for use singly at the weft replenishing end of aloom or jointly with similar detectors in a vertically arranged gang ofdetectors adjacent to the drop boxes of a loom, a base formed ofelectric insulating material, a detector rod slidable on said base, aleaf spring for the rod, and means holding the spring either verticallyor horizonally disposed relatively to the base, said spring having anopen slot in one end thereof through which the rod passes, said baseeffective whether the spring is vertically or horizontally disposedrelatively to the base to arrest movement of said one end of the springin a direction laterally of said rod and opposite to the direction inwhich said slot opens while the rod is in said slot.

6. In a vertically arranged gang of electric weft detector units for thedrop shuttle boxes of a loom, means supporting said units in verticallyspaced relationship, a pair of electric detector rods for each unit, abowed leaf spring for each rod, each spring extending for a distancefrom the corresponding rod greater than the height of unoccupied spacebetween adjacent units, each spring having near one end thereof alaterally opening slot receiving the corresponding rod, means holdingeach spring to the associated unit in such angular position relativelythereto other than vertical as to avoid engagement with adjacent units,and means on each unit arresting lateral movement of said one end of aspring thereof relatively to the corresponding rod while the latter isin the slot corresponding thereto.

RAYMOND F. DION.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 692,591 Baker et a1 Feb. 4, 19022,392,913 Geier Jan. 15, 1946 2,421,587 Turner June 3, 1947

